BTC polls: BJP to contest all seven seats in Chirang alone
Chief Minister said that a final decision on the number of seats the BJP will contest in BTC polls is yet to be taken

Chirang, July 3: With the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls scheduled for September, the BJP has begun intensifying its preparations across the five districts of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
Party leaders are holding review meetings and assessing ground-level support with the BJP planning to contest the elections independently.
On Thursday, Barak Valley Development Minister Kaushik Rai visited Chirang district to hold discussions with party workers and volunteers in the run-up to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s visit to the district on July 9.
Following the meeting, Bijni MLA Ajoy Kumar Ray told the press that the party is gearing up to contest all seven seats in Chirang on its own.
“We will have a brotherhood after the BTC elections, but we are planning to contest the elections alone,” Ray said, adding that the possibility of a pre-poll alliance appears unlikely at this stage.
“As of now, we cannot be sure whether or not there will be an alliance. We have been directed to prepare for a solo contest, and we are working accordingly,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also reiterated the party’s intention to contest the BTC elections independently.
“BTC elections are different from Assembly and Parliament elections. All political parties usually go solo in these polls,” Sarma said, while addressing the press in Udalguri.
He, however, added that alliances may be considered at a later stage when Assembly or general elections approach.
The Chief Minister clarified that a final decision on the number of seats the BJP will contest is yet to be taken.
“There is still time for that. Last time, we contested 26 seats. This time, we will deliberate carefully. Our party president Dilip Saikia will guide us on the seat-sharing strategy,” he said.
Highlighting peace in the region, Sarma underlined that political ambition must not disturb the hard-earned stability in BTR.
“Elections will come and go, but peace in the BTR must be preserved. The political process should never compromise the region’s harmony. If there is peace, elections will continue smoothly,” the Chief Minister added.
The BJP currently shares power in the BTC along with its regional ally the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). However, signs of a possible solo run this time suggest a recalibration of strategy by the ruling party ahead of the polls.